Sport fishing is enjoyed around the world. From fresh water to salt water, a wide variety of fish species exist. Fishermen employ a variety of equipment and tackle depending upon the water being fished, the time of day, the species of fish sought, personal choice, and many other factors. A fishing lure, sometimes referred to as an artificial lure, is frequently a part of such equipment and tackle.
Fishing lures are known in the art and are generally shaped to resemble the features of a fish. The lure is fitted with both an attachment to a fishing line and with a fish hook or the like. The lures are typically designed and decorated with the goal of replicating or mimicking the movement and appearance of a food source for the particular fish being sought. For example, such lure may take on the shape of a minnow, tadpole, frog, mouse, insect, salamander, another fish, or such other food source. The fisherman's hope is that by having a lure closely resembling or acting like a source of food, fish will be enticed into biting the lure.
Frequent problems occur with the use of such lures. The regular design shape does not aid accurate casting of the line, or improve the motion of the lure through the water. Lines often become snagged in underwater debris, reeds or seaweed and then remain entangled. The physical shape of the lure alone is often insufficient to deceive aquatic predators, who at different times are known to be more attracted to the vibratory movement of a fish in water.
In an effort to make the lure aesthetically realistic, a designer can use materials pigmented with the desired colors. For example, colored plastics or rubber may be used. In addition, a designer can paint or stain the external surface of the lure to achieve the desired color and marking characteristics. Decorative features such as scales, eyes, and fins may be painted onto the surface or otherwise added to the lure.
Lures can also be designed with features that make the lure realistic in a functional manner. Fins, diving planes, spinners, rattles and the like may be added in order to make the lure move and sound like a food source. Some lures may be specifically designed to operate on the water surface while others may function only when below.
Generally speaking, artificial lures are frequently deployed by casting the lure, while attached to fishing line, to a desired location within the water and then retrieving the lure using a reel. Anglers may use a variety of casting and retrieval techniques depending on a combination of personal preferences, the type of fish being sought, and the nature of the water being fished. The ability to precisely position the lure at or near particular structure, vegetation, or such other target is generally preferred and may be essential to hooking and landing a catch.
Aside from the skills of each individual angler, several factors about a lure can affect the angler's ability to precisely locate and retrieve a lure during casting. For example, the lure's overall shape, the weight of the lure, and the location of the point of attachment to the fishing line can affect the flight path of the lure during casting and the swim path of the lure during retrieval. Another factor is the lure's center of gravity. More specifically, the location of the center of gravity may affect the precision with which the lure can be cast as well as the movement of the lure as it is worked and retrieved by the angler. For certain lures, the most effective location for the center of gravity of a lure while casting may not be identical to the best location when the lure is being retrieved.
The primary goal is to develop a top water fishing lure with negative buoyancy, such that the angler may cast the lure great distances and the retrieval can be at a slower rate while providing the desired “swimming” action on the surface. This will allow the angler to reach actively feeding fish and give the angler the option to vary the retrieval rate in order to provoke strikes from the feeding fish. The lures should have various weights and colors to allow the angler to select the proper lure for the particular fishing conditions.